Getting Refugees into Jobs: Taking a Systems Approach

Date/Time
Date(s) - 9 May 2016
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Location
Ontario Trade and Investment Centre

Category(ies)


Canada can be justly proud of its recent efforts to welcome large numbers of Syrian refugees fleeing from their war-torn homeland. Initial energy is being focused on the considerable logistics of providing housing and clothing to these newcomers and helping them get settled into their new homes. However, it is widely acknowledged that their long-term success depends strongly on their integration into the labour market – in other words, in getting jobs.

This half-day session will highlight who the players are in labour market integration, what the various governments are doing to help, and what role the private sector can play.

Co-sponsored by the Intergovernmental Committee for Economic and Labour Force Development (ICE) and the Toronto Newcomer Office of the City of Toronto, this session will open with Tobias Novogrodsky from the City of Toronto highlighting the collaborative efforts governments are taking to help Syrian refugees integrate into the labour force.

Ali Mohamed and Khalid Yahia will ground the session by sharing their own experiences as refugees.

This will be followed by a panel on how the education sector is working to prepare refugees for the local labour market, featuring Wendy Cukier from Ryerson University, Alex Irwin from George Brown College, and Heather Kelly from the University of Toronto.
Finally, we will hear from private sector leaders who have provided new refugees with that all-important first job in Canada, including Phil Harrison from CKF Inc., Trevor Brodie from Amsterdam BrewHouse, Bill Doherty from Pressure Kleen, and Tony D’Aversa from Bigpaper Inc.

There is no cost to participate in this event.  A light lunch will be provided.

We look forward to seeing you on Monday, May 9, 2016 at 9:00 a.m. Seating capacity is limited !!

Click here to register – no later than April 30, 2016

ICE Committee